Central-buffer claw-coupling.



L. SCHEIB, Sn. & L. SCHEIB, JR. GBNTBAL BUFFER CLAW COUPLING.

APPLICATION rum) 8EPT.27, 1907.

904, 1 53 Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

LUDWIG SCHEIB, SR., AND LUDWIG SCHEIB, JR, OF KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY.

CENTRAL-BUFFER CLAW-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Luowre SCHEIB, Sr., and LUDWIG SoHEIB, J r., subjects of His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, residing at Kaiserslautern, Germany, engineers, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Central-Buffer Claw-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class or type of central buffer claw coupling wherein the coupling head is furnished with a pivoted locking cap adapted to lock the claw hook and also to throw it out of its operative position.

The present improvements have reference more particularly to the peculiar arrangement and action of the locking cap whereby the spring which controls the latter is under compresslon only at the moment after unlocking and the moment before re-locking the claw hook, while at all other times the said spring is fully extended. This arrangement renders the spring less liable to break and thus cause interruptions in the service.

In the accompanying drawings which show the operative parts of the improved coupling in various positions :Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the coupling with the claw hook in its locked position. Fig. 2 is a similar section with the claw hook unlocked, and, Fig. 8 is a similar section showing the claw hook opened.

The hollow coupling head a is provided with the shell-like locking cap 6 adapted to be moved longitudinally of said head and to turn or cant on a sliding pivotal connection between it and said head which pivotal conneotion is constituted by the pin 0 which traverses the slot m in head a. The locking cap I) is pivotally connected with a guide rod 9 which slides in the guide 70 and is encircled by the helical spring h which tends to keep the locking cap in its forward position. In this position the locking cap engages with the tail end 6 of the claw hook and so holds the latter looked as seen in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to uncouple, the pin 0 is drawn backwards in its slot m by a suitable device thereby withdrawing the locking cap I) from the tail of the claw hook and compressing the spring h as isindicated in Fig.2. During this rearward movement of the locking cap 1) its upper flat portion slides along the flat guide surface a of the head a which at that part is strengthened by a cross rib 0. At the end of the guide surface a there is provided an internal recess 79 which permits the compressed spring h to tip or cant the locking cap I) outwards on the pivot c and cause the end (Z of said cap to press beneath the disengaged tail 0 ofthe claw hook thereby throwing the latter out of the operative position as seen in Fig. 3.

In coupling up the tail end 0 of the claw hook swings inwards and so turns the locking cap back into the position shown in Fig. 2 when the compressed spring pushes the cap Z) home and so locks the claw hook.

It will be noted upon reference to Fig. 3 that when the pin 0 is in its rearmost position in the slot, the locking cap Z) is canted and the guide rod 9 is slightly inclined, so that the pin 0 is not returned to its first position until after the locking cap Z) has been again rocked on its pivot by impact against the tail of the claw hook c.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the controlling spring It for the locking cap is under compression only at the moment after unlocking and the moment before re-locking the claw hook, and that at all other times the spring is fully extended thus insuring reliable action.

WVhat we claim and deslre to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a central buffer claw coupling, the combination with a coupling head having an inwardly extending flat guide surface and a recess adjacent thereto, of a locking cap longitudinally slidable and pivotally arranged in the head, said locking cap having a flat face corresponding to the flat guide surface in the coupling head, and a spring which is adapted to cant the locking cap when the flat surface thereof is free of the flat guide surface in the coupling head.

2. In a central buffer claw coupling, the combination with a coupling head having an inwardly extending flat guide surface and a recess in the rear thereof, a locking cap pivotally mounted upon a pin adapted to slide in a slot in the coupling head, said looking cap having a flat face corresponding to, and adapted at certain times to contact with, the guide surface in the coupling head, a guide rod pivotally connected to said locking cap, and a compression spring carried by said guide rod, said compression spring be ing adapted to cantthe locking cap when the flat face thereof has been moved clear of the flat guide surface and the pivot pin has been forced to substantially its rearmost position in the guide slot.

3. In a central buffer claw coupling, the combination with a coupling head having an inwardly extending flat guide surface and a recess adjacent thereto, a claw hook pivoted in the coupling head, a locking cap having an upper fiat face corresponding to, and adapted at certain times to contact with, the fiat guide surface in the coupling head, said locking cap being shaped to fairly snugly receive the tail end of the claw hook, a pivot upon which said locking cap is mounted and which said pivot is adapted to have longi- 1 tudinal sliding motion in a slot in the coupling head, a guide rod having a pivotal connection with the locking cap, and a com pression spring encircling said guide rod, said compression spring being designed to cant the locking cap and release the claw hook therefrom when the flat face of the locking cap is out of contact with the flat guide surface in the coupling head.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

LUDVVIG SCHEIB, SR. LUDVVIG SCHEIB, JR.

Vitnesses HEINRICH SoHoFFER, RUITGoLD RUELL. 

